Post navigation

The Practice of Greatness

I’ve been thinking about calling, and destiny, and dreams, and vision. I’ve been thinking about stepping into them and claiming them and living them. I’ve been thinking about how there is no such thing as greatness and how a life is made by tiny moments that build into our characters and into our reputation and how each one matters. The truth of it is, that vision is never achieved; it is a direction we walk in and true heroes and leaders just continue faithfully in that direction, and suddenly look up to find people walking the same way. Each day it is living the small and ordinary with intent and with focus. Great moments, never feel that way to the people living them, but sometimes upon reflection you realize that moment really mattered; leave you thinking “I just brushed against greatness…I just saw it”. Others noticed that it mattered but that does not mean it is of greater import than the moment that preceeded it or the moment that followed. They are all just moments…lived well…or wasted.

I talked to a friend who said “I don’t know…I’m sick of all this talk about destiny. What if being a mom is enough?”. And my heart cried out “YES” more than enough. The fact of it, when the heroes go home and each of us pick up our lives, that is where greatness really happens. This season I thought about Mary, labouring to deliver first born alone, without midwife, in a barn. She thought I’m sure “This is the WORST. Really God? This is what the result of my saying YES is? Really? This is a great moment? A history altering moment? Really? THIS?”. The truth is that it was, and your very hardest moment could be too. The truth is your character is being revealed and refined by those moments, and by the ordinaries too. How did you treat that child that asked you to play a boring game for the 1000 time? How did you respond to your spouse who was late? Each moment we are determining whether our children, our husbands, our colleagues will rise up and praise us…or if they won’t. Each moment we can take tiny steps toward a dream that dwells deep…or we don’t. There is no arrival. There is no ‘greatness barometer’. There is no knowing…this side of heaven…which moments will prove to be the one that made you great. There is only the intent…to live moments well…and to learn to live in obedience to the Dream Weaver, the History Writer, the Vision Caster, The Destiny Caller. The only one who is Great, all the time.
Linking with:

Melissa, I love this…it does remind me of what Ann said (was it at Relevant keynote?…didn’t go but read text on-line) something like, ‘our greatest moments are (often) our most solitary ones’ I don’t think it can be any other way because we are all diseased by mis-proportioned self and obedience from the heart is often known in those things He alone sees…

well, suffice it to say, i loved all of this! it is gorgeous and something to think long and hard on!